TECH FINDS AHEAD OF THE SPRING SEASON

BY MERILEE A. KERN, MBA

As springtime looms just around the corner, so too does the opportunity for fresh beginnings as the weather warms. With the season spurring sentiments of rejuvenation, now is a great time to spearhead a renewed effort to feel and look your best. To achieve this worthy goal, you’ll want to spruce up your seasonal style. Add a fresh take on your new upcoming styles with fashion created with innovative technology, digital features and more!

Cove Headset from Cove

The Cove headset and companion IOS app are a great way to track your health and improve your body’s regeneration through sleep and relaxation. Cove is a wearable technology that uses gentle vibrations to mimic human touch, providing feelings of calm so the body and mind function at the most efficient level. It activates our “seventh sense” of interoception (the perception of sensations from inside the body) that enables us to detect our body’s internal needs and regulate them accordingly. Being in tune with your body helps improve your efficiency during the day, as well as relaxation at night. This results in better sleep, less stress and the ability to be more resilient and adaptable in life. Cove comes equipped with a best-in-class PPG heart rate sensor and a 3D accelerometer. Weighing only 20 grams, Cove sits comfortably behind your ears and uses dual-mode Bluetooth 4.2 to pair wirelessly with your phone. You can even complete four sessions without having to recharge your Cove. The device has an 85 mAh capacity and can be fully charged in 60-80 minutes.

Smart Swimming Goggle with Duo MP3 Player by Finis

Powered by Ciye technology, the Finis’ Smart Goggle was developed to help swimmers improve and meet their fitness goals. The in-goggle display and Smart Coach activity tracker gives real-time feedback to help track your distance, calories, stroke type and time. The fitness gear’s comfortable, low-profile design also reduces drag and is leak-proof. Additionally, it is equipped with an adjustable strap. Swimmers can choose from blue, white/ smoke and blue mirror colors when ordering the Smart Goggle Kit, which includes the Smart Coach module, magnetic USB charging cable, six interchangeable nose bridges and a protective carrying case. Once you’re out of the water, the app provides an in-depth analysis of your workouts, logs your history and allows you to connect with friends and fitness apps. Finis didn’t forget about your ears. Its Duo MP3 player offers the highest quality sound without the use of earbuds. Its sleek, two-piece design and Bone Conduction audio transmission delivers crystal clear audio through the cheekbones to the inner ear. To use, swimmers only need to secure the integrated Duo clip to their goggle straps for a comfortable and streamlined fit. A simplified interface offers four buttons to easily navigate between music, podcasts, audiobooks and other supported audio files. Seven hours of battery life will keep you moving and grooving for the duration of your swim.

Blue Planet Watch by CIGA Design

An exquisitely designed watch, the Blue Planet watch from CIGA Design is centered around our collective home: planet Earth. Richly depicting crisp oceans, sprawling mountains and pristine land, the intricate design of this award-winning timepiece is complemented by a curved sapphire glass dome that reveals every detail on the dial. To fully appreciate the Series U Blue Planet mechanical watch, CIGA Design has notably transformed the conventional way of telling time. The compass rose featured on the watch’s face acts as a pointer to the two orbiting rings to give a reading of the hour and minute. This simple, innovative way of telling time allows the wearer to fully appreciate the unique aesthetic and function of the Blue Planet watch. CIGA Design has collaborated with the Earth Day Organization (EDO) to launch a special edition gift box to put environmental protection into action. It combines the watch and EDO’s “Protect Our Blue Earth”-themed pendant using environmentally friendly decoration. The watch features a “World Earth Day” limited-edition logo on the bottom cap that uses Earth-friendly screen printing, while the Blue Planet’s case is made of more expensive and eco-conscious recycled titanium material to help to reduce carbon pollution.

Activewear from Wolaco

Fitness lovers will surely love amping up their gym wardrobe with the Bowery Muscle Tank from Wolaco. Made with luxe micro-mesh, it boasts breathability to keep the wearer cool and comfortable during heated workouts. The company’s North Moore Men’s Compression Shorts are specifically designed with two of the world’s only compressive sweat-proof pockets. These Wolaco compression shorts are made for running, hiking, lifting and even yoga. The shorts have two sweat-proof compression pockets that can fit all phone sizes for convenience, so the wearer can enjoy their favorite music or podcast while working out. The moderate compression of these shorts is perfect for all-day comfort and everyday performance, and includes a waistband made out of luxe nylon elastic. The fabric is also made out of 88% polyester and 12% spandex fabric content. It has a moisturewicking fabric fiber and no chemical coatings to also ensure comfort and performance longevity.

“Fraser” Men’s Sneaker from Woolloomooloo

Designed and knitted meticulously to bring effortless versatility to your feet, the Fraser sneaker from Woolloomooloo makes the perfect sock-less shoe. Woolloomooloo takes athleisure to a whole new level of comfort with its knitted Australian merino wool upper, wool-lined footbed and signature elastic lace system. The company is committed to spinning the finest wool product to create the world’s premier wool sneakers—utilizing sustainable materials to build footwear that is better for your feet and the planet. Its choice of Merino wool works to insulate your skin from the cold environment through trapping heat within the structure, while amazingly transferring moisture away from the skin when temperatures start to rise. As a hygroscopic fiber, wool readily absorbs moisture (up to 35% of its own weight) to keep feet dry and prevent the build-up of sweat and bacteria. They come in seven shades, including green, sand, sand camo, blue multi, red multi, black multi and graphite.

Skincare Tech Brand Amiro Unveils Led Light Therapy Face Mask

accelerates healing and enhances skin microcirculation. Red and infrared light also stimulates skin collagen regeneration, increases skin firmness and reduces melanin deposition. Amiro’s L1 LED Light Therapy Face Mask utilizes beauty salon-comparable 77mw/cm2 powerful LED light sources to stimulate the skin’s self-healing process, facilitating a rapid seven-day skin barrier repair.

It only takes 10 minutes daily to effectively reduce acne and skin inflammation and increase the skin’s glow with the mask’s four light waves and three settings. The two-centimeter distance between the mask and skin ensures that the high energy is evenly distributed across the face but is close enough for better absorption. After seven days, up to a reduction of 16.8% in acne and 12.4% in facial redness, as well as a 13.9% increase in skin gloss, can be expected.

The anti-aging LED face mask is built to emit four wavelengths of light for a multiway skincare treatment experience. Red, blue, yellow and infrared light can be used alone or together with one or two other wavelengths to address every individual’s skin problems. This includes red, blue and infrared light that kills inflammation-causing bacteria dwelling in the hair follicles. The lights also inhibit abnormal sebum secretion and enhance skin microcirculation. Red, yellow and infrared light reduces redness and stinging associated with inflammation, and

As Amiro works to revitalize beauty through science, its product design is based on research. Studies by NASA have demonstrated that direct exposure to various wavelengths of light from its Warfighter Accelerated Recovery by Photobiomodulation (WARP 10) was sufficient to temporarily relieve minor muscle and joint pain, arthritis, stiffness and muscle spasms. It also promotes the relaxation of muscle tissue and increases local blood circulation. Amiro is giving limited offers to early L1 LED Light Therapy Face Mask purchases, which will come with 10 free Amiro Beauty Facial Masks and one YSL Slim Matte Longwear Lipstick in Rouge Libre.

PERFECT CORP. LAUNCHES ALL-NEW YOUCAM ENHANCE

Perfect Corp., the leading augmented reality (AR) and artificial intelligence (AI) beauty and fashion tech solutions provider, announced the launch of YouCam Enhance for iOS and Web, the latest app to join their award-winning YouCam Suite of Apps with over 1 billion global downloads. The new highly-advanced photo editing software reimagines how consumers can update their blurred, pixelated or unclear photos, bringing them into sharp focus in a matter of seconds.

The new YouCam Enhance mobile app and web tool, available for free download on the App Store and accessible from the Perfect Corp. website, gives photography aficionados the power to transform their images into eyecatching masterpieces. From sharpening focus and smoothing noise, to brightening colors and increasing resolution, YouCam Enhance provides all of the tools needed for stunning results every time. The AI-powered tool empowers photographers to tap into the unlimited potential of their photos, making their vision come to life with de-blurring, de-noising, restoring and upscaling tools that will take any image to the next level.

The simple-to-use, free application democratizes access to professional-grade tools, leveraging the latest advancements in machine-learning technology to deliver dramatic enhancements to any and all photos in just one click.

“We are delighted to offer a next level photo-enhance application, facilitating experimentation and providing photography lovers with the tools necessary to bring their snaps to new heights,” said Alice Chang, Perfect Corp. founder and CEO. “This one-ofa-kind AI-powered innovation invites amateur and seasoned photographers to explore a range of upgrade options with just a tap of their smartphone, creating a truly accessible and useful toolkit for all.”

SILVER JEANS CO. LAUNCHES TECH-DRIVEN MEN’S INFINITE FIT DENIM

“Super Power Stretch” denim fabric that provides more than 90% elasticity, expanding and contracting for ultimate comfort with every movement. The Indigo-wash jeans feature superior shape retention to give men that extra bit of room, without sacrificing style or risking the jean wearing out over time. Think of it like a rubber band that stretches, but snaps right back into place. Never baggy or sloppylooking—yet always comfortable—it’s truly one-of-a-kind.

Silver Jeans Co.™, the brand known for producing quality, great-fitting denim, is proud to announce the release of the all-new, technologydriven Infinite Fit jean for Men, featuring two fit options and simple sizing, the Athletic Skinny Leg and Relaxed Straight Leg.

Why is the Infinite Fit collection so comfortable? It’s all in the flexibility of the fabric. The revolutionary jean moves with the body, providing ultimate freedom and comfort, thanks to the brand’s revolutionary

“While it may seem like magic, it’s really our years of research and development in fabric and fit that have led us to create this gamechanging jean,” said the brand’s CEO, Michael Silver. “Imagine if a perfect-fitting jean merged with the most comfortable pair of sweats; that’s Infinite Fit. We call it the do-anything jean because it truly works for wherever the day leads. It looks good enough to wear in the office, but it’s comfortable enough to be worn as activewear. Perfect for any adventures—from work to play—Infinite Fit is the ultimate transition jean.”

The brand’s expansion of its Infinite Fit innovation into men’s styles rounds out the adaptive, inclusive jean collection’s goal of offering fits for every body that are high-quality, creating a closet staple with enhanced comfort in mind.

LADY BLACK TIE E-COMMERCE DRIVES RECORDING BREAKING YEAR

Lady Black Tie recently reported a record 66,500 dresses sold in 2022, an impressive 84% increase compared to the previous year. Their sales volume crowns them as Massachusetts’ largest prom and formal dress business. Launched only four years ago, the Hudson-based company gained massive success through investing heavily in e-commerce, nailing social media and staying on top of the latest fashion trends.

“Most of the prom stores in the region, even the largest ones with two dozen or more dressing rooms; they might sell between four to six thousand dresses annually because they don’t sell a lot through e-commerce,” said Marissa Tilley, the owner of Lady Black Tie.

Shoppers who visit the retail store, located in The Landing at Hudson Mills building, may not be aware that beyond the walls of the retail store, the company commands over 12,000 square feet of warehouse space where employees pack and ship hundreds of online orders daily. The business sells through three channels, e-commerce, retail and a recently launched wholesale line. Although their e-commerce business is the largest driver of their dress sales, Tilley states it’s not going to be their primary focus for 2023.

The Hudson storefront is a major focus of Tilley’s for continued growth in 2023. “This summer, we’re planning a major renovation connecting an adjoining suite that will triple the retail store’s size and add an additional 30 dressing rooms,” said Tilley.

The business also has its own dress line, Velvi.

Velvi launched wholesale in 2022 and now sells to other boutiques worldwide through FashionGo, a B2B fashion marketplace.

Shop with Lady Black Tie online or in their store for Prom Season 2023. This includes an assortment of colors and fabrics that is part of one of New England’s largest in-stock inventory.

American multinational enterprises employed 28.4 million people abroad, and their majorityowned foreign affiliates employed another 14 million. Those numbers represent a huge amount of opportunity, but also a huge HR and benefits problem.

In terms of benefits, fashion and apparel companies expanding abroad must meet regulatory requirements and customs, not to mention offering them cost efficiency. For small companies in particular, it can seem costprohibitive to offer benefit plans for foreign subsidiaries. But there are ways to cut costs while still offering benefits that help attract and retain talent.

Lower Benefits Costs Through Creative Strategies

While setting up benefits offerings for a foreign operation or subsidiary is difficult in itself, keeping costs down is an additional challenge. Organizations that leverage the following approaches will be able to deliver benefits with the maximum effect at a lower cost than otherwise.

Pooled coverages and captives: Individual operations that secure benefits through locally-

HOW FASHION & APPAREL COMPANIES CAN KEEP BENEFITS COSTS LOW FOR FOREIGN OPERATIONS

By Frank DeLucia, HUB International

licensed carriers will have high premiums. Pooling coverages, however, leverages economies of scale to drive down costs, especially in countries that do not offer government-sponsored healthcare. Joining the coverages of multiple foreign operations under a contract placed with a single global carrier network lowers risk for underwriters and premiums for sponsors.

Another option for health coverage and benefits is captive insurance. Local policies are reinsured through a global carrier through a business’ captive insurance company. Captive insurance can save as much as 20% of baseline costs, but the client must be in a position to manage the financial risk of large claims.

Evaluate the brokers: A common practice in multinational expansion is to outsource plan design to local brokers or advisors. It’s often faster and easier to take this approach. However, it is not necessarily optimal as commission arrangements for brokers can result in expensive, overgenerous programs, given possible conflicts of interest in providing benefit advice and placing contracts.

In addition, local carrier policies can be tricky to navigate. For instance, companies often start small, hiring employees before setting up a legal local entity, but many insurance companies won’t contract benefits without their client having a legal entity. It’s incumbent for organizations to conduct due diligence on brokers, knowing in advance of their commission arrangements, services provided and specific conflicts of interest.

Plan administration oversight: Performance standards abroad can be less rigorous than in the U.S.; small plans are particularly vulnerable to subpar service that will cause plan costs to skyrocket. Risks include poor needs assessment, suboptimal co-insurance and unwarranted use of expensive medical facilities.

Planned administration oversight will produce cost savings. For example, monitoring claims patterns for abuse or fraud will help reduce premiums, while close oversight of a retirement plan investment performance will help minimize costs and deliver better benefits. Mandated, thirdparty benefit audits are important in keeping costs down. Incentives for brokers, plan administrators and carriers to identify and eliminate ineffective management will also help guard against waste and rising costs.

Lining up employee benefits for workers at offshore operations is a challenge in and of itself. Even trickier is managing them cost-effectively. These suggestions can help alleviate costs while still offering benefits that can assist with retention.

Frank DeLucia currently serves as senior vice president of HUB International Northeast, a leading full-service global insurance brokerage. With over three decades of experience, Frank specializes in building insurance and risk management programs for the real estate and apparel industries and is a long time active member of the Fashion Service Network (FSN). Frank can be reached by phone at 212-3382395 or at frank.delucia@hubinternational.com. For more information on HUB, please visit www. hubinternational.com.

This year kicked off with two important retail conferences: ICR’s 25th Annual Conference in Orlando and NRF’s Retail Big Show in New York City. Both conferences were in-person events and extremely well attended.

The Retail Marketing Society’s recent Roundtable webinar was an opportunity for members and guests to share in a conversation about important takeaways from these two conferences. Chief contributors to the dialogue included Richard Baum, Consumer Growth Partners, Marie Driscoll, Coresight Research, Dan Hodges, Retail Store Tours/Consumers in Motion Group and Jan Rogers Kniffen, J. Rogers Kniffen WWE.

Retail Staff is Key

“At NFR,” reported Hodges, “hiring was the number one issue, followed by employee training.” While new technology platforms facilitate hiring, the difficulty in finding qualified people in part depends on geographical location. Hodges reported that, based on conversations with CEOs in Europe and Latin America, the challenge is to get back to the pre-Covid quality of employees. Kniffen is observing a different scenario here in the U.S. “I think we’re seeing the labor environment loosening up for people who are not paying minimum wage,” explained Kniffen.

Driscoll elaborated, “What’s changed in the last six months is there’s so many tech layoffs and it’s very possible that there’s going to be more people that are brighter and more engaged, willing to work on the floor. I think that retailers at the same time are realizing that people are one of their biggest assets and their people are their